Ruby-Throated resting by the roadside
Sunday morning in Prattsville, my host and I took a long walk down a road toward Schoharie Creek, and on a gravel path branching off from that. Unfortunately, neither road came very close to the creek itself, but there was a fairly good variety of birds, like the male Ruby-Throated Hummingbird above and this American Redstart.
Redstart rockin' in the branches
There were interesting sights that weren't birds, as well.
why did the newt cross the road?
That's an Eastern (Red-Spotted) Newt who crossed the road in front of us, and on our return a butterfly settled down on the driveway
goodness gracious, Great Spangled Fritillary
I know little about butterflies, but I think this is a Great Spangled Fritillary.
Back in the meadow next to the house, the birds continued singing all day long, but mostly stayed out of sight. The Song Sparrows were the most visible.
sing! sing! sing!
The Common Yellowthroats and the Chipping Sparrows sang constantly, but I only had glimpses of them. This is the closest photo I had of either species:
Chipping Sparrow, momentarily out in the open
Other birds were in the vicinity as well--we had a glimpse of a Black-Billed Cuckoo and heard a Yellow-Billed Cuckoo sing several times. I never heard a Purple Finch singing, but they must be nesting nearby since I saw a small group of females. This one stopped on a low branch for a minute until the others caught up; then they all flew away.
leading the way
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